Thailand from Europe: visa rules, flights and what to bring (2026)

The visa rule is identical across these seven countries, so one page covers them all. What changes is how you fly, which plug adaptor you need and a few details in your own government's advice, and the table below lays those out. For other passports, see our Thailand entry requirements guide.

Differences by country at a glance

Thai sockets take types A, B, C and O, at 220 V, 50 Hz. The thin two-pin Europlug (type C) fits. Other plug shapes may not.

Governments disagree on proof of funds. The UK Foreign Office says visitors must show 10,000 THB per person, while Germany's Auswärtiges Amt says 20,000 THB per person (40,000 per family). The other governments above don't give a figure. Carry about 20,000 THB or the equivalent, whichever country you're from. Several of these governments also carry flood and Cambodian border warnings, which our Thailand safety guide summarises.

Do Europeans need a visa for Thailand?

No. All seven countries on this page, and every other EU member state, are on Thailand's 30-day visa-exempt list for entries from 15 September 2026. So are Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. There's no advance application; you're stamped in on arrival.

The conditions:

• Tourism only. Business trips need a Non-Immigrant "B" visa.
• Visa-exempt entries by land and sea are capped at 2 per calendar year, according to Germany's Auswärtiges Amt and France Diplomatie (the Tourism Authority of Thailand mentions land borders). For arrivals by air, Germany's advice says immigration decides. The UK government's wording is wider, so check with your Thai embassy if you plan to fly in more than twice in a year.
• If you were admitted before 15 September 2026, you keep the stay you were given.

Don't count the days yourself. Your entry stamp shows the last date you can stay, as the Dutch government's advice points out, so check it before you leave the immigration desk.

Staying longer than 30 days

You can extend once in Thailand, by up to 30 days. That means a trip to an immigration office, form TM.7 and 1,900 THB, and the officer decides. Thai embassies confirm it's still available, and so does the travel advice from Germany, Spain and Italy.

The alternative is a Tourist Visa, applied for before you leave. You get 60 days on arrival plus a possible 30-day extension. Apply at thaievisa.go.th from outside Thailand:

1. Register with an email and password. The activation link expires in 30 minutes.
2. Pick the Thai embassy that covers your nationality or where you live, then the visa type.
3. Enter your details. Your passport photo page is scanned automatically.
4. Upload a passport scan (all corners and the machine-readable zone), a photo (JPG, under 200 KB, white background, taken in the last 6 months), bank statements, flights, accommodation and proof of your current address.
5. Sign the declaration and pay by card.
6. The approval arrives by email as a PDF. Print it for check-in and immigration.

Processing times aren't guaranteed, so apply 3 to 4 weeks ahead (no earlier than 3 months) and check your embassy's current guidance. The Thai embassies in Berlin, Paris, The Hague, Madrid and Rome charge €35 for a single-entry Tourist Visa (€175 multiple entry). Stockholm charges 370 kr (1,850 kr). Irish residents apply through the Thai Embassy in London (£30). The portal asks for proof of at least 20,000 THB, and some embassies set their own figure, so check yours.

If you work remotely, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) allows stays of up to 180 days per entry. Since 31 August 2026 you must apply through the Thai mission covering your nationality or permanent residence and include a police clearance certificate.

Don't overstay. It costs 500 THB a day up to 20,000 THB and can mean detention, deportation and a ban of up to 10 years.

Entry checklist

• Passport valid for 6 months from arrival, with a blank page
• Return or onward ticket
• TDAC filed at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before arrival (free)
• About 20,000 THB or the equivalent in cash, or a card or bank balance you can show
• Address of your first night's stay
• Travel insurance
• No vape, no amphetamine-based ADHD medication, and a Thai FDA permit for codeine
• Yellow fever certificate only if you're arriving from a country with yellow fever risk (Germany's advice adds: or after more than 12 hours' transit in one)

There's no tourist entry fee yet. A 450 THB fee is still only a proposal, and the earliest the government aims to start collecting it is early 2027.

Flights from Europe to Thailand

Thai Airways' winter 2026/27 schedule runs from 25 October 2026 to 27 March 2027.

Frequencies are from the airlines' own winter 2026/27 announcements and change by season, so check the airline's schedule when you book.

There's no nonstop from Ireland, and from Spain only Iberojet advertises a Madrid to Bangkok flight. Emirates, Qatar, Etihad and Turkish all fly to Bangkok and often Phuket, so the obvious route is one stop via the Gulf or Istanbul. Connecting through London or a European hub works too.

One-stop routings and when to fly

Chinese airlines also fly from Europe to Bangkok with a change of plane in China, at the cost of a longer journey. Fares usually follow Thailand's seasons: high season (November to February, plus Songkran in mid-April) costs most, and the wet season (roughly May to October) costs least. Our best time to visit Thailand guide shows the weather month by month. Compare a few dates on the airline's own booking page before you commit.

What to bring from Europe

Plug adaptor. Check the table above, or just bring one universal adaptor and you're covered. Thailand runs at 220 V, 50 Hz.

Money and cards. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a flat 220-250 THB per withdrawal (up to 350 THB at some). AEON ATMs charge about 150 THB. Withdraw larger amounts less often, and always choose to pay in baht, not euros or kronor, when a machine or card terminal asks.

Insurance. You don't need it for entry, but private hospitals ask for a payment guarantee before they treat you. Take out travel insurance with medical cover. Your EHIC won't help: it only works in the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the UK.

Medicines. Amphetamine-based ADHD drugs, including Elvanse (lisdexamfetamine), Adderall and dexamfetamine, are banned in Thailand with no permit possible. Methylphenidate is allowed up to 30 days' supply with a doctor's letter. Codeine and other opioids need a Thai FDA permit from permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th, applied for at least 14 days before you arrive. The Thai Embassy in Stockholm notes that ordinary medicines are fine up to 30 days' supply. Keep everything in its original packaging.

Vape. Don't bring it. Vapes are illegal to bring in, own or use, with fines typically 5,000-30,000 THB. Germany's Auswärtiges Amt warns of up to 5 years in prison.

Everything else. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, DEET or picaridin repellent, and clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples. The rest is in our Southeast Asia packing list.

Arrival day, step by step

1. In the 3 days before landing: file your TDAC and save the confirmation. Set up a travel eSIM if you want data straight away.
2. Immigration at Bangkok (BKK) or Phuket (HKT): show your passport. You may be asked about your onward ticket or funds. You'll get 30 days.
3. Customs: red channel if you're carrying permit medicines, more than 200 cigarettes or 1 litre of alcohol, or more than US$15,000 in cash. Otherwise, green.
4. SIM and cash: AIS, TrueMove H and dtac have counters in arrivals. Tourist SIMs cost about 299-599 THB, and you need your passport. Look for an AEON ATM.
5. Onward: the Airport Rail Link runs from the basement (level B1) to Phaya Thai, from 05:30 to midnight, for about 45 THB. Public metered taxis leave from Level 1: meter plus a 50 THB airport charge plus expressway tolls, usually 400-600 THB in total. Grab picks up from Level 1, Gate 4. Allow 1-1.5 hours by road if you're changing to Don Mueang (DMK); there's a free shuttle bus for passengers with an onward boarding pass.

Travel Thailand with us

If you want the long-haul flight to be worth it, Thailand Complete is 21 days and fits inside the 30-day visa-free stay. For a shorter island break, Thailand Island Hopping Tour is 10 days. Ages 18 to 40, and I'm with the group throughout as your Trip Host.

See all Thailand trips.

Keep planning

• Thailand entry requirements by nationality
• Best time to visit Thailand
• Thailand travel guide for solo travellers
• Southeast Asia packing list